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1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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Wizardsnapper
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Oct 15, 2012, 7:42 AM
Post #1 of 19
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1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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Hello all... This is my first post here. My mother has a 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham 5.7 V8 Carb. She bought the car a little over a year ago for $800.00. Since then has has done all the regular Tune-Ups and Oil Changes. She has had the Carb adjusted on it at lest 6 times on it. That and the Timing set has never been replaced. She will go through 2 tanks of gas in a week just driving around the neighborhood shopping. She cant keep affording this. Is there any way to fix the Fuel issue without spending a lot of money, she lives on a disability check. If not I can help pay for the repairs. But please list in detail what has to be done to it and what parts are needed for it.
Thanks in advance for all the help.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 15, 2012, 8:08 AM
Post #2 of 19
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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You have a 26 year old car with a carburetor. You can't make robots out of dinosaurs.
First off, the timing should never have to be touched once it's set correctly and the same goes for the carb. The only adjustment is for idle mixture anyways which will have nothing to do with your mileage problem. Unless you plan on spending a ton of money on restoration, It is what it is.
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Discretesignals
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Oct 15, 2012, 8:16 AM
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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Needs to go to a shop to be diagnosed.
There is no way for us to tell you what it needs to resolve its problem unless you have some more information.
Look for fuel leaks
Make sure the choke is open all the way when the engine is warmed up
Make sure the carb isn't leaking from the metering wells
Make sure the Foo foo valve isn't full of gas.
Make sure the MC solenoid is operating and the feed back system works.
Wouldn't doubt if the carb is worn out and it needs a new one.
Probably wouldn't hurt to put Mom into a newer car that is fuel injected and gets better fuel economy.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Oct 15, 2012, 8:17 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
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Oct 15, 2012, 8:36 AM
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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This last carb was a pest. Still expensive for a redone one with high failure rates of those too. Plain vacuum anythings everywhere but make sure two for choke are not leaking meaning they hold vacuum to break open choke and choke heater shuts it off quickly or it will about spill fuel in short trip use not good for it either. Either of the last V8s for Olds were tough but nothing is going to like fuel wash if that is happening,
T
(on edit as I doubted this engine) This only came with a 307 CID = 5.0 Olds engine if gasoline or just 1% were 5.7 diesels which all failed early that I ever knew of. If it was a 5.7 many were converted to a gas engine that really wasn't practical and tons of gasoline specific emission items never changed over basically making them usable but not legal for road use in almost any place without relentless details on the switch back)
(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Oct 15, 2012, 8:56 AM)
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Wizardsnapper
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Oct 15, 2012, 9:35 AM
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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The choke never did work on the car. The Timing set was NEVER touched. The Carb. has been adjusted by a repair shop just to see if if could get better millage but it kept getting worse and still is. My mom and I cant afford a newer car, she got this one cheap during tax season with her rebate last year. If I have to replace anything other than the car its self then we are all for it.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 15, 2012, 9:38 AM
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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Tom's right. These came with either a 231 V6, 305 (Chevy) or 307 which were both 5.0. The 5.7 was a diesel.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Wizardsnapper
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Oct 15, 2012, 9:48 AM
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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Hammer Time
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Oct 15, 2012, 10:06 AM
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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How do you know that?
PS, don't post any links.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Tom Greenleaf
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Oct 15, 2012, 10:06 AM
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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Those late Quadrajets you needed a two year course in futility to do anything to them and those who could are about done with that crap for actually older ones.
Make sure of what you have for a carb on this. Hope it's one of these............ Champion/Carburetor   Part Number: 10-344 Warranty: 1 YR Application: With U.S. Emission
Notes: O.E.M. #17081253, 17081254, 17082251, 17082253, 17083250, 17083253, 17083553, 17084250, 17084252, 17084253, 17084254, 17084256, 17084258, 17084554, 17085282, 17085554, 17086009..............
The "1708****" numbers would be on the driver's side back near where throttle pivots on side of carb vertically and hard to read. May be all different by now and still workable. If a computerised carb you won't like the price as it will exceed what you paid for this car - rebuilt not even a new one!
T
(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Oct 15, 2012, 10:09 AM)
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Wizardsnapper
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Oct 15, 2012, 11:28 AM
Post #10 of 19
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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Those late Quadrajets you needed a two year course in futility to do anything to them and those who could are about done with that crap for actually older ones. Make sure of what you have for a carb on this. Hope it's one of these............ Champion/Carburetor Part Number: 10-344 Warranty: 1 YR Application: With U.S. Emission Notes: O.E.M. #17081253, 17081254, 17082251, 17082253, 17083250, 17083253, 17083553, 17084250, 17084252, 17084253, 17084254, 17084256, 17084258, 17084554, 17085282, 17085554, 17086009.............. The "1708****" numbers would be on the driver's side back near where throttle pivots on side of carb vertically and hard to read. May be all different by now and still workable. If a computerised carb you won't like the price as it will exceed what you paid for this car - rebuilt not even a new one! T She has the original Rochester Carb. All facts that I'm giving you have come from her repair shop, I'm just relaying what they told me about it. I'm just looking foe=r a way for her to save a little more on gas. This is all the info I have on the car that I thought was relevant to the problem. I am willing to buy any part needed for it but not at the cost of a newer car. if the Carb needs to be replaced then so be it. I was just trying to get some options here. I'm not upset here but there is some criticism here like I lack info or knowledge. I'm only trying to do the best thing for my mom. any and all help is a big help to her. We just can't afford to buy a new car.
(This post was edited by Wizardsnapper on Oct 15, 2012, 11:30 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
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Oct 15, 2012, 12:39 PM
Post #11 of 19
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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In that pic is a Rochester Quadrajet. Shouldn't be a need to toss the whole thing as most rebuilt ones suk and many new ones when whole car was new suked too. Other than that these are remarkable carbs over many years for a wide variety of applications and adjusting them was the nightmare.
The couple things on these that could make it suck up fuel like no tomorrow were an inoperative primary choke pull off seen as brass colored in that particular pic 1/2 way up to the left with a vacuum hose to it. From cold with choke tripped the smaller front upper plate is the choke. To trip that just push throttle and it should snap shut.
Now that's 100% choked which is fine for about 2 seconds and it must "pull off" some right away when engine starts or would gag on fuel. DIY test could just be take the vacuum hose off, push the lever back with finger over where vacuum hose was, let go and it should stay put, then let go and watch it extend.
If just that didn't hold you can buy one of just those called the primary choke pull off. The rear you really can do without as it only works to open choke a tad more for just a minute or two at mid warm up before choke isn't needed for anything with a warm engine.
This would take a whole book to explain and as just said many weren't set exactly right new and that's just one adjustment but the most likely to cause rough running cold and flooding out if not working.
That's something you can check with no tools. Other is just with key on (everything cold) run position feel the top left black housing with one wire going to it get warm and just touch choke and it should go wide open on it's own without the engine running!
Just those two checks would be a wealth of info. These can run quite well. Finding proper help or even a good replacement was tricky then and harder now. Almost all car makers dumped using carbs greatly because it was just getting to hard to make them all perfect for fuel delivery + meet all emissions which fuel injection solved and took out all human adjustment error. Now old, the rubber parts about can't be much good,
T
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 15, 2012, 1:46 PM
Post #13 of 19
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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You haven't even determined what is wrong with it. We can go through all the guessing, but it needs to be checked out to see what is going on with it.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Tom Greenleaf
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Oct 15, 2012, 4:15 PM
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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My reason is this is highest on the list and doesn't cost a dime to check w no tools. If not that we punt. No on the fuel injection. This engine unless all trashed can be made to work fine,
T
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nickwarner
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Oct 15, 2012, 6:19 PM
Post #15 of 19
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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It would be worth keeping in mind that even when this was a brand new car in perfect tune it was a fuel hog, especially on short runs in town, stop and go driving. This thing is a big heavy car with an ineffiecent V8 engine and its marginally OK on the highway mileage once you get it up to speed as it should have an overdrive trans and long-legged rear end gears. In the short run, maybe you can get it to work a little bit better but its still going to be a pig at the pump no matter what. Add to that the fact this is a 28 year old car that was made by a brand that hasn't existed for a decade now. Many parts for it are getting harder to find and others are simply not available anymore. But realize that the cost of getting something newer that gets better mileage and has better parts availability would pay for itself based on the fuel savings. As Tom pointed out, the fuel system in this car was a royal pain and not many of the people who knew the right way to work on these are still in the field. So something with fuel injection and newer you can find people who really know what they are doing.
Don't buy a car just because its cheap. If all you can afford is an $800 car, you don't have the money to waste on gassing up a thirsty one.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 15, 2012, 7:00 PM
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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It was the emissions system that made the car a frickin nightmare to work on. Vacuum hose city under that hood. Better run a basic check on the engine by doing a compression check and maybe a leak down if you find low compression. Carb isn't going to work right on a worn out engine anyway. Being an 84, if the engine hasn't been rebuilt, it has to be tired.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 15, 2012, 7:19 PM
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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And we come full circle back to my first post. It's a 28 year old dinosaur using a carb. Your chances of getting it fine tuned without a $5,000 investment are slim to none.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
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Oct 15, 2012, 7:24 PM
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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I agree HT. It was rated by the EPA to get 14 mpg in the city. That was if everything was working correctly.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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nickwarner
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Oct 15, 2012, 9:28 PM
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Re: 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Eating Fuel
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To put this in perspective, I drive a Suburban that gets 9mpg in town as a daily driver. Its big, has all the room in the world and has a V8. I love the thing. It cost me $160 to fill the thing up and I have no plans to buy anything else.
But............
I work full time as a professional technician and crank up overtime like its going out of style. My pay never goes down, it goes up. Its a reward for busting my ass.
If I were getting a measly check once a month that could barely cover my expenses with no way to make that check bigger, the truck would be replaced and I would show some due diligence to the cost of operation of what I drive to make it work with my budget. Or I'd get some good shoes. If you don't have to work, you have all day to get to where you're going. Thats also why busses and cabs and such were made in the first place. A brand new moped that gets 90 mpg is only $1000 brand new. Thats $200 less than the demo derby monster you're pointlessly trying to fix. You don't even need a calculator to do the math on this one. Your mom needs to exercise better judgement in what she buys and it needs to suit her budget beyond the purchase price. She's old enough to know better by now and you should be too.
Living for tax time like its the lottery ticket thats guaranteed makes for poor choices on what you spend that money on. This car proves my point. I've seen plenty of cars like Cavalier and Sunfire or Civic and Corolla that have 4 cylinder engines, get over 30mpg highway and may not be too pretty but are servicable and parts are cheap sell for a grand or less. But remember you get what you pay for and the cheapest car on purchase price isn't the cheapest car in the long run. If you don't have the money to buy something good now, save up and make a smart choice with your money.
I hate to be the dick here, but if you buy a worn out antique that got crappy mileage back when it was new, don't be shocked that the mileage still sucks. Its not a fine wine, it won't get better with age.
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